He promptly ordered a police raid to confiscate Sade's work, judged to be "a series of unspeakable obscenities, blasphemies and villainies".

"When I came across the detail, I immediately thought expanding upon it would make for an intriguing story about what happens when you deny a really volatile imagination its only means of expression," explains Wright.

The film is mischievous and dark, compelling and repugnant at the same time. Also worth stressing is that Quills is not in any way pornographic.

Such contradictions are in line with Wright's central debate but also illustrate the complex character of Sade himself.

"I hope I presented him with his strongest attributes of wit, extravagance, tenacity and drive and his negative side which included his rage, violence and narcissism," says Wright.

"Sade was a monster who was nonetheless extremely instructive showing that oppression is often the surest muse."

Cathartic

Wright is effusive about all of his lead actors, but in particular Rush and Winslet.

Of Rush he says: "He was able to present Sade in the full range of his complexity. He brings a malicious glee to the role."

Madeleine is the only character in the movie who has a temperate balanced attitude to Sade's fiction

Doug Wright

As for Winslet, the writer calls her the project's "patron saint" for being the first big name to back the film.

Her role was pivotal to the story, he adds.

"Madeleine is the only character in the movie who has a temperate balanced attitude to Sade's fiction.

"She reads it and is amused by it. It's cathartic for her. Then, she puts it away and carries on with her duties."

Wright says he hopes the French will see Quills as his intended "fantasia on Sade's life".

Overall, he wants his film to strike a chord with adults everywhere.

"I want it to have the historical and artistic import to seduce the arthouse crowd.

"But I also want college kids and older to recognise Sade as the original rebel, before Eminem and Marilyn Manson, and the most incendiary writer that ever lived."